Compare towns
Townsend vs Brentwood vs Hollis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Brentwood has the most homeowners (96%).
Hollis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Townsend | Brentwood | Hollis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
4,641Lowest |
8,603 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.8±3.1 13% above U.S. |
49.4±5Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Hollis and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brentwood and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hollis and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$165,509±$23k 105% above U.S. |
$168,883±$22kHighest 109% above U.S. |
| Hollis and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$528,100±$75k 59% above U.S. |
$675,900±$48kHighest 103% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,217±$654Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,598±$302 13% above U.S. |
| Brentwood and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,713 211% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.9%±37.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brentwood and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1995Highest 15 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
29%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hollis and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #16 of 120 in NH | #8 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Brentwood School District | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Hollis-Brookline High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.